Means for locking bolts



(Nomoael.) A

- N. H. BROWN. MEANS `P013. LOCKING BOLTS.`

Patentedsept. 15, 1885;'

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'NICHOLAS HABLnsTON BROWN, OF MOBILE, ALABAMA.

MEANS FOR LOCKING BoLTs.

sPncIFIcA'rION ferming part ef Lettere i-jatent 110,326,101, dated september 15, 1885.

(No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, NIcHoLAs H. BROWN, of Mobile, in the county of Mobile and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Locking Bolt-s; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine.

My invention relates to an improvement in means for locking bolts, and more particularly for locking the boltswhich secu rc together the two sections of a fish-plate.

It is well known that the jar to which the bolts holding the two sections of a fish-plate in position are subjected tends to loosen the nuts, and requires a constant supervision to prevent the plates from becoming displaced. So strong is the tendency to unscrew that va` rions nut-locksin use havebeen found unequal to the strain, and while adding to the security have failed to make it complete. .As an illustration, the metal plate placed beneath two or more successive nuts and havings its pronged ends turned up in contact with the nuts is straightened out and rendered ineffective by the action of the nuts tending to unscrew. Other devices hitherto employed, while serving to effectually lock the bolt, have been too complicated or too expensive to come into practical use.

The object of my present invention is to provide means for effectually locking the bolts, which means shall at the same time be inexpensive and durable; and with these ends in view my invention consists in a series of lugs or projections formed on the face of yone section of a fish-plate, so located that when the sh-plate is in close adjustment on the rail the angular heads of the bolts will rest in contact with said lugs and prevent the bolts from turning and ish-plate section from sliding.

My invention further consists in a fish-plate having one section provided with threaded bolt-holes, and the opposite sect-ion provided with' oblong slots for receiving the bolts, and lugs or projections adapted to slide with the fishplate beneath the bolt-heads.

My invention further consists in a set of lugs or projections formed on one section of a ish-plate and adapted to form a stop for the rotary motion of the bolt-head, in combination wit-hasetof round bolts, whereby the tendency ofthe bolt to turn will be4 increased, and the lock thereby made more effectual.

My invention further consists in certain features of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a view in side elevation of the adjacent ends of two rails secured by a fish-plate and bolts,

4showing my .improved means for locking the bolts. Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation of the opposite side, and Fig. 3 shows the locking section of the fish-plate in position to allow the bolts to turn. y

A A represent the adjacent ends of two consecutive rails. B representsthe bolt-locking section of the fish-plate, and btheopposite section of the slrplate. The section b is provided with a series of screw-threaded perforations, c, which are adapted to receive the threaded ends of the bolts D. The section B of the {ish-plate is provided with a series of oblong slots, C, corresponding to the threaded perforations c, which slots. are sufficiently wide to admit the bolts D and long enough to rallow the section. B to slide longitudinally thereon a distance equal to about half the di` ameter of one ofthe bolt-heads d.

The bolt-heads d are preferably square, but may be of other angular shapes, if found desirable. The section B is further provided with a series of lugs or projections, E, located below and to one side of the slots C. rlhe projections E are located on the left-hand side ofthe slots, or on that side toward which the upper portions of the bolt-heads turn in unscrewing. rlhe upper faces of the projections Eare level, and are located a distance below the centers ofthe slots C equal to the distance from the center of .one of the bolt-heads to the middle of one of the sides of the bolt-head. When the section B is slid toward the left, with the bolts in the extreme right-hand ends of the slots O, the ends of the projections E will be far enough from the bolt-heads to admit of the free use of a wrench, and in this position the bolts may be screwed into. the fish-plate section b. When the bolts are screwed home and left with one of their sides, the lowest side, parallel with the tread of the rail, or

with the face of its lug, the section B may be driven to the right, sliding the lugsE beneath the bolt-heads until the bolts occupy the eX- treme left ofthe slots C. It will be observed that the boltheads, and hence the bolts, are

now absolutely locked against a rotary motion toward the left as long as the lugs occupy their present positions,and as the tendency of the bolts is constantly to turn toward the left or unscrew, the left-hand lower corners, d', of the heads will inipinge against the faces of the lugs E and tend to hold thc section B from sliding toward the left7 and7 in case there should be any play left between the faces of the lugs and the bolt-heads, would tend to slide the section Btcward the right.

It is evident that the greater the tendency ofthe bolt to unscrew the more securely will the section B be locked against displacement. To enable the bolts to have a stronger tendency to unscrew7 I make them round instead of angular.

The advantages ofthe above-described means for locking the bolts consist in the saving of loose. nuts on the ends of the bolts, the convenience with which the fish-plates are adjusted and removed, the small number of parts employedi and the perfect freedom from wear on the parts, and finally the absolutely sure and permanent locking of t-he bolts.

It is evident that the location of the lugs might be changed and the slots C madelonger or shorter7 and the heads of the bolts shaped differently from those shown,without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention; hence I do not wish to limit myself strictly to the construction herein set forth; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. In a bolt-lock, the combination, with a baror plate having a screw-threaded hole therein, and a sliding plate having an oblong slot and a lug or projection7 of a screw-threaded bolt adapted to be screwed into the screwthreaded opening in the bar or plate and provided with a head adapted to rest in contact with the lug or projection on the sliding plate, substantially as set forth.

2. In a bolt-lock, the combination, with rails and a fish plate having a series of screwthreaded openings therein, of screw-bolts having` angular heads7 and the sliding fish-plate having oblong slots7 and the lugs or projections, all of the above parts combined and operating substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NICHOLAS I'IARLES'ION BROWN. v

Correction. in Letters Patenti No, 328,101.

i It is hereby certified that the name of the patentee in Letters Patent No. 326,101,

granted September 15, 1885, for an improvement in Meansior Locking Bolts, was

erroneously Written and printed NicholasHarleston Brown 7; that said name should and that said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein tha-t the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed, countersigned, and sealed this` 22d day of September, .A.D. 1885.

"[SEAL] A H. L.` MULDROW,

Acting Secretary ofthe Interior.

have been Written and printed Neholas Hmleston Broun Countersigned: M. V. MONTGOMERY,

Commissioner of Patents. 

